Liar Paradox - Chapter 29
The elevator ride home.
Han Seo pressed the button for the top floor and swallowed a sigh. Perhaps because so much had happened, the day felt unusually long.
His troubled gaze eventually landed on his casted hand. As an Esper himself, his recovery speed would likely be faster than that of an ordinary person, though not as rapid as a combat-type Esper's. But the thought of enduring the pain until it healed already weighed heavily on his mind.
Ding.
The elevator doors opened just in time. Hanseo trudged toward the door and entered the familiar passcode into the door lock.
But something felt different today...
Ah, right.
Only after the door swung open did he remember he wasn't alone.
Pretending he hadn't forgotten, Hanseo flung the door wide and gestured for the person behind him to enter.
"Come in!"
"......"
Gu Jei gave Hanseo a strange look before stepping inside.
What? Why is he looking at me like that?
Oblivious to the bizarre role reversal—where it felt like the homeowner had become the guest—Hanseo simply tilted his head and followed Gu Jei inside.
"......"
Once inside, Gu Jei paused, his eyes sweeping over the interior. The apartment, decorated like a showroom, hadn't changed much since his last visit. The only noticeable difference was the large TV now dominating the living room.
Yet the atmosphere felt completely different. It was as if the mere presence of a single occupant had transformed the space into something entirely new.
Gu Jei's gaze shifted from the TV to a grocery store paper bag sitting on the dining table.
"Ah, Director Pyo told me about it, so I ordered from the online mart!" Hanseo explained, noticing Gu Jei's gaze. Feeling awkward just standing there, he rummaged through the bag and pulled out a bag of chips.
"This is a new flavor. Would you like to try some...?"
"No, thank you."
Fine by me. If you don't want it, I'll just eat it myself. Your loss, not mine.
Hanseo grumbled inwardly as he tore open the bag.
Crinkle.
Or rather, he tried to tear it open.
Crinkle, crinkle, crinkle.
"Give it here. I'll do it."
Gu Jei took the chips from Hanseo, who was struggling with the bag using only one hand.
Hanseo was slightly surprised.
Huh? What's this...? He's actually waiting on me?
Just moments ago, Hanseo had been frustrated at having injured his hand for nothing. But now, miraculously, he no longer felt it was a waste. In fact, wasn't this a huge win? An opportunity to boss Gu Jei around with just one injured hand!
He couldn't let this chance slip away. Hanseo immediately lowered the corners of his mouth into a dejected frown.
"I'm sorry. My hand still hurts..."
Of course, the painkiller he'd taken an hour ago was working perfectly. But who would question a wounded person's claim of pain? As expected, Gu Jei didn't press the matter.
"It's alright."
"But making you open snacks for me... it feels so..."
...amazing!
"...I'm really sorry."
Gu Jei didn't respond further, tearing open the bag of snacks in one swift motion.
And then...
Pop!
With a burst, the small snacks scattered into the air.
"......"
"......"
What just happened?
Hanseo blinked in bewilderment, his expression blank. Without thinking, he bent down to pick up the snacks. But before he could grab even one, the snacks floated up to eye level.
"I'll clean this up," Gu Jei said softly.
As soon as the words left his lips, all the snacks on the floor rose into the air simultaneously. It didn't take long for every last crumb to fly straight into the trash can. This was Gu Jei's ability.
Hanseo's face, which had been sour at the sight of the wasted snacks, quickly lit up with curiosity.
While many Espers possess telekinetic abilities, Gu Jei's level of precise control over his powers is truly exceptional, bordering on innate talent.
But why did he lost control just now?
Combat-oriented Espers like Gu Jei naturally possess immense physical strength. This often leads to accidents, such as accidentally breaking objects, especially when they've only recently awakened their powers. However, Gu Jei, who had lived as an Esper since the age of five, was far too experienced to make such a rookie mistake.
Hanseo's questions faded as Gu Jei silently retrieved a new bag of chips. For a moment, Hanseo tensed, fearing another explosion, but this time the bag opened cleanly without incident.
Gu Jei handed the opened bag to Hanseo, his demeanor as calm and composed as if nothing had happened moments before.
"...Wow, thank you."
Hanseo, as if hypnotized, pulled out a snack and popped it into his mouth. He realized he hadn't eaten anything all day except for a drink at lunch, and his stomach was growling.
Crunch. Crunch.
The sound of him munching on the thick potato chips echoed incessantly, causing Gu Jei to subtly distance himself from Hanseo. The noise seemed to irritate him.
So sensitive, Han Seo thought.
Crunch! Crunch!
Han Seo deliberately began chewing even louder. Gu Jei glanced at him, but Hanseo pretended not to notice, focusing solely on eating.
Truth be told, Hanseo had been harboring a deep resentment toward Gu Jei for a long time. He had suppressed these feelings out of necessity, but today, after breaking his hand because of Gu Jei, those old resentments resurfaced with renewed intensity.
Damn bastard.
Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!
"......"
Honestly, he thought Gu Jei might tell him to eat quietly by now. But perhaps because he felt guilty, Gu Jei made no comment. In his past life, he would have snatched it away and thrown it out immediately.
The Gu Jei of his past life had been merciless toward Baekgu. While his current demeanor still couldn't be described as kind, the difference felt enormous to Hanseo, who had witnessed Gu Jei's true coldness firsthand.
Hanseo devoured a pack in an instant and reached for another. Instead of ignoring the persistent gaze following him, he met it head-on and blinked innocently.
"Would you like one?"
It was a question implying, ‘Did you stare because you wanted this?’ Of course, he knew that wasn't the case.
Gu Jei took the snack from Hanseo, tore open the package, and handed it back.
"No."
"Aren't you hungry?"
"I'm fine."
The same answer came back.
Only then did something feel off.
Is he really not hungry?
Gu Jei had just emerged from a week-long stint inside the Gate. Inside, his only food would have been dried rations at best, and as an Esper who had been using his abilities extensively, he should be starving by now. If it was Hanseo, he'd probably be seeing the leather sofa in the living room as a slab of meat.
But Gu Jei seemed completely unaffected.
How... is that possible?
Then again, Gu Jei wasn't like ordinary Espers, just like Hanseo. Just as Hanseo didn't need Guiding, perhaps Gu Jei didn't feel hunger even after using his abilities.
Hanseo was pondering these thoughts while munching on snacks when Gu Jei, seemingly unable to endure the noise any longer, declared he was going to shower and retreated to the bathroom.
I actually managed to chase Gu Jei away!
Han Seo inwardly cheered at his unexpected victory and promptly plopped down on the sofa.
Out of habit, he turned on the TV. Perfect timing—news about the dungeon Gu Jei had been tackling for a week was airing.
A young man, presumably a team member who had entered the Gate with Gu Jei, was giving a briefing. It was clear from his visible nervousness that this was his first time doing something like this.
Typically, Espers formed teams to tackle Gates. Gu Jei also usually entered Gates with a team, unless there were special circumstances, and this mission was no exception.
Han Seo scrutinized the briefing man's face.
Was there even a guy like that on the team?
Hanseo knew most of Gu Jei's team members. Though not as frequently as Gu Jei, they had appeared on TV quite often and had assisted Gu Jei when he was chasing Hanseo.
But this man was a face he'd never seen before.
That means...
The thought didn't linger. Whether that man lived or died was unimportant to Hanseo.
"Mr. Yeo Hanseo, you should go inside and get some rest."
"Mmm..."
At the low voice, Hanseo opened his eyes to see Gu Jei, who had changed out of his combat uniform into comfortable clothes. It seemed he had fallen asleep while watching TV.
Still drowsy, Hanseo blinked blankly. He wanted to go back to sleep immediately, but he felt sticky from sweating when he ran upon hearing Gu Jei's news earlier.
Having grown up in a research lab with strict hygiene standards, Hanseo valued cleanliness.
"Yes, then I'll take a shower first..."
Hanseo realized the problem as soon as he finished speaking.
Gu Jei seemed to realize it too.
Their gazes simultaneously shifted to Hanseo's casted arm.
A moment later, Gu Jei spoke.
“I'll help you.”
Han Seo pressed the button for the top floor and swallowed a sigh. Perhaps because so much had happened, the day felt unusually long.
His troubled gaze eventually landed on his casted hand. As an Esper himself, his recovery speed would likely be faster than that of an ordinary person, though not as rapid as a combat-type Esper's. But the thought of enduring the pain until it healed already weighed heavily on his mind.
Ding.
The elevator doors opened just in time. Hanseo trudged toward the door and entered the familiar passcode into the door lock.
But something felt different today...
Ah, right.
Only after the door swung open did he remember he wasn't alone.
Pretending he hadn't forgotten, Hanseo flung the door wide and gestured for the person behind him to enter.
"Come in!"
"......"
Gu Jei gave Hanseo a strange look before stepping inside.
What? Why is he looking at me like that?
Oblivious to the bizarre role reversal—where it felt like the homeowner had become the guest—Hanseo simply tilted his head and followed Gu Jei inside.
"......"
Once inside, Gu Jei paused, his eyes sweeping over the interior. The apartment, decorated like a showroom, hadn't changed much since his last visit. The only noticeable difference was the large TV now dominating the living room.
Yet the atmosphere felt completely different. It was as if the mere presence of a single occupant had transformed the space into something entirely new.
Gu Jei's gaze shifted from the TV to a grocery store paper bag sitting on the dining table.
"Ah, Director Pyo told me about it, so I ordered from the online mart!" Hanseo explained, noticing Gu Jei's gaze. Feeling awkward just standing there, he rummaged through the bag and pulled out a bag of chips.
"This is a new flavor. Would you like to try some...?"
"No, thank you."
Fine by me. If you don't want it, I'll just eat it myself. Your loss, not mine.
Hanseo grumbled inwardly as he tore open the bag.
Crinkle.
Or rather, he tried to tear it open.
Crinkle, crinkle, crinkle.
"Give it here. I'll do it."
Gu Jei took the chips from Hanseo, who was struggling with the bag using only one hand.
Hanseo was slightly surprised.
Huh? What's this...? He's actually waiting on me?
Just moments ago, Hanseo had been frustrated at having injured his hand for nothing. But now, miraculously, he no longer felt it was a waste. In fact, wasn't this a huge win? An opportunity to boss Gu Jei around with just one injured hand!
He couldn't let this chance slip away. Hanseo immediately lowered the corners of his mouth into a dejected frown.
"I'm sorry. My hand still hurts..."
Of course, the painkiller he'd taken an hour ago was working perfectly. But who would question a wounded person's claim of pain? As expected, Gu Jei didn't press the matter.
"It's alright."
"But making you open snacks for me... it feels so..."
...amazing!
"...I'm really sorry."
Gu Jei didn't respond further, tearing open the bag of snacks in one swift motion.
And then...
Pop!
With a burst, the small snacks scattered into the air.
"......"
"......"
What just happened?
Hanseo blinked in bewilderment, his expression blank. Without thinking, he bent down to pick up the snacks. But before he could grab even one, the snacks floated up to eye level.
"I'll clean this up," Gu Jei said softly.
As soon as the words left his lips, all the snacks on the floor rose into the air simultaneously. It didn't take long for every last crumb to fly straight into the trash can. This was Gu Jei's ability.
Hanseo's face, which had been sour at the sight of the wasted snacks, quickly lit up with curiosity.
While many Espers possess telekinetic abilities, Gu Jei's level of precise control over his powers is truly exceptional, bordering on innate talent.
But why did he lost control just now?
Combat-oriented Espers like Gu Jei naturally possess immense physical strength. This often leads to accidents, such as accidentally breaking objects, especially when they've only recently awakened their powers. However, Gu Jei, who had lived as an Esper since the age of five, was far too experienced to make such a rookie mistake.
Hanseo's questions faded as Gu Jei silently retrieved a new bag of chips. For a moment, Hanseo tensed, fearing another explosion, but this time the bag opened cleanly without incident.
Gu Jei handed the opened bag to Hanseo, his demeanor as calm and composed as if nothing had happened moments before.
"...Wow, thank you."
Hanseo, as if hypnotized, pulled out a snack and popped it into his mouth. He realized he hadn't eaten anything all day except for a drink at lunch, and his stomach was growling.
Crunch. Crunch.
The sound of him munching on the thick potato chips echoed incessantly, causing Gu Jei to subtly distance himself from Hanseo. The noise seemed to irritate him.
So sensitive, Han Seo thought.
Crunch! Crunch!
Han Seo deliberately began chewing even louder. Gu Jei glanced at him, but Hanseo pretended not to notice, focusing solely on eating.
Truth be told, Hanseo had been harboring a deep resentment toward Gu Jei for a long time. He had suppressed these feelings out of necessity, but today, after breaking his hand because of Gu Jei, those old resentments resurfaced with renewed intensity.
Damn bastard.
Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!
"......"
Honestly, he thought Gu Jei might tell him to eat quietly by now. But perhaps because he felt guilty, Gu Jei made no comment. In his past life, he would have snatched it away and thrown it out immediately.
The Gu Jei of his past life had been merciless toward Baekgu. While his current demeanor still couldn't be described as kind, the difference felt enormous to Hanseo, who had witnessed Gu Jei's true coldness firsthand.
Hanseo devoured a pack in an instant and reached for another. Instead of ignoring the persistent gaze following him, he met it head-on and blinked innocently.
"Would you like one?"
It was a question implying, ‘Did you stare because you wanted this?’ Of course, he knew that wasn't the case.
Gu Jei took the snack from Hanseo, tore open the package, and handed it back.
"No."
"Aren't you hungry?"
"I'm fine."
The same answer came back.
Only then did something feel off.
Is he really not hungry?
Gu Jei had just emerged from a week-long stint inside the Gate. Inside, his only food would have been dried rations at best, and as an Esper who had been using his abilities extensively, he should be starving by now. If it was Hanseo, he'd probably be seeing the leather sofa in the living room as a slab of meat.
But Gu Jei seemed completely unaffected.
How... is that possible?
Then again, Gu Jei wasn't like ordinary Espers, just like Hanseo. Just as Hanseo didn't need Guiding, perhaps Gu Jei didn't feel hunger even after using his abilities.
Hanseo was pondering these thoughts while munching on snacks when Gu Jei, seemingly unable to endure the noise any longer, declared he was going to shower and retreated to the bathroom.
I actually managed to chase Gu Jei away!
Han Seo inwardly cheered at his unexpected victory and promptly plopped down on the sofa.
Out of habit, he turned on the TV. Perfect timing—news about the dungeon Gu Jei had been tackling for a week was airing.
A young man, presumably a team member who had entered the Gate with Gu Jei, was giving a briefing. It was clear from his visible nervousness that this was his first time doing something like this.
Typically, Espers formed teams to tackle Gates. Gu Jei also usually entered Gates with a team, unless there were special circumstances, and this mission was no exception.
Han Seo scrutinized the briefing man's face.
Was there even a guy like that on the team?
Hanseo knew most of Gu Jei's team members. Though not as frequently as Gu Jei, they had appeared on TV quite often and had assisted Gu Jei when he was chasing Hanseo.
But this man was a face he'd never seen before.
That means...
The thought didn't linger. Whether that man lived or died was unimportant to Hanseo.
"Mr. Yeo Hanseo, you should go inside and get some rest."
"Mmm..."
At the low voice, Hanseo opened his eyes to see Gu Jei, who had changed out of his combat uniform into comfortable clothes. It seemed he had fallen asleep while watching TV.
Still drowsy, Hanseo blinked blankly. He wanted to go back to sleep immediately, but he felt sticky from sweating when he ran upon hearing Gu Jei's news earlier.
Having grown up in a research lab with strict hygiene standards, Hanseo valued cleanliness.
"Yes, then I'll take a shower first..."
Hanseo realized the problem as soon as he finished speaking.
Gu Jei seemed to realize it too.
Their gazes simultaneously shifted to Hanseo's casted arm.
A moment later, Gu Jei spoke.
“I'll help you.”
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